This Could Reignite Your Passion

Have you had it up to here with the job to which you’re devoting a substantial portion of your time, energy and brain cells? Have you caught yourself muttering how nice it would be to work for a cause or company that you really believed in — a place you felt proud to go every day? Do you think a different career might reignite the passion you once felt for work?

If you’re shooting your hand up, saying “Yes! Yes! That’s me!” you may be ready for a reboot.

“A career change can often lead to achieving better work-life satisfaction, having the feeling that you truly own your life and a deeper sense of happiness and fulfillment,” says Allison O’Kelly, founder/CEO of Mom Corps, a national talent acquisition and career development firm focused on finding senior-level jobs for women. “Anytime could be a good time to try something new professionally.”

If you think your “anytime” is right about now, you won’t be alone. As many as 9 million people aged 44 to 70 are in encore careers — that means getting paid for work that combines their personal passion with a social purpose, according to the San Francisco-based Encore.org, the nonprofit that has spearheaded the idea. Another 31 million say they are interested in joining them.

“We all have this ability to do something that really matters,” says Marci Alboher, vice president of Encore.org and author of “The Encore Career Handbook.” “Once you start dipping into this world, things grab onto you.”